Citizens for Safe Energy say they want to study fracking objectively

HAMILTON-Meetings on high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) usually don't follow the same track that Madison County Citizens for Safe Energy (CSE) took with their 2013 introductory meeting.

CSE sought a more objective approach at their meeting on Saturday, Jan. 19. A panel of experts took the stage with the intent to inform people on aspects of hydrofracking that many do not see in documentaries such as "Gasland".

A team of CSE experts made up of Morrisville College Professor Kurt Reyners, Geology Professor Adam Schoonmaker from Utica College and Geology Professor Bruce Selleck from Colgate University all presented information throughout the presentation.

Reyners started with a breakdown of why CSE chose to tackle the subjects of complementary integration, the gas industry, gas prices and geology of the Utica and Marcellus Shale. In partnership with Colgate University, CSE sent out a survey to over 700 random households in Hamilton and Lebanon and saw 126 returned. At an 18 percent return rate, Reyners said this is good in comparison to most surveys.

Advertisement

The general consensus of the survey was that HVHF would have negative long-erm effects on the environment. Most of those surveyed distrust oil and gas companies and said they trust scientists and researchers. Also, few of the people who answered the survey knew what complementary integration was, and the survey shows that many don't see a long-term economic benefit from HVHF.

Schoonmaker followed the survey results with an in-depth look at how hydrocarbons are formed and why horizontal drilling and fracking are the only way to access those natural gases. Schoonmaker explained that hydrocarbons normally seep through other sediment and rock formations but shale is impermeable. By injecting water at high pressure it fractures the rock allowing those hydrocarbons to move. Then, sand is pumped in to hold the fractures open. All of the chemicals associated with fracking fluid are used to increase viscosity to allow the sand to move, to eliminate those gelling agents afterward, and to prevent corrosion.

Schoonmaker also said that it is unlikely for pollutants to enter aquifers from the fractures because of the thousands of feet between them; if any pollutants contaminate groundwater it is most likely from poor construction of the well head or surface pollution.

At the end of his portion of the presentation, Schoonmaker talked about compulsory integration and what it means to property owners that neighbor well sites. Anyone who owns land within 640 acre unit of a HVHF well site sees money from that well. There are three different levels of integration and they vary in risk and reward:

-Royalty owner, which means there is no risk and no fees. The royalty owner sees a small royalty amounting to around 12.5 percent of the royalties for the portion of the land. For example, if a person owns 10 percent of the 640 acres, they would see 1.25 percent of the profits for that well.

-Non-participating owner, which means the neighboring non-well owner helps with set up costs and sees a percentage based on the amount of the unit they own after the well has made three times it's instillation cost. They will also have to pay fees associated with other property owners in the unit.

-Participating owners help with instillation, incurring the most amount of risk but also seeing a larger portion of the profits.

Both Schoonmaker and Selleck talked about the unlikelihood of Marcellus shale being the target of HVHF due to regulations in the current SGEIS. The Utica Shale is open and could be accessed near Hamilton.

Selleck followed Schoonmaker with data on current prices and projected prices of natural gas.

Selleck started by showing a map of vertical wells in the area currently, many of which populate Lebanon. According to Selleck, the zenith of gas production in Lebanon was in 2009 and the wells produced about $5 million worth. Compared to most other producers, this amount is a drop in the bucket.

Selleck also plotted data showing natural gas will not be worth more than $5 per cubic foot before 2023. Also, it will not see a drastic increase until 2035.

Selleck explained also that while it is beneficial to drill for both natural gas and other byproducts that would come from a "wet" well, most of the hydrocarbons underlying southern Madison County are dry gases that don't come with extras. These types of wells are less enticing to gas companies.

For more information about CSE along with the data presented on Jan. 19 visit: csemadco.org.